A first for the market, IQAir out of Switzerland has developed a personal air purification fan for the home or office. It’s both small and completely portable, perfect for taking with you on a business trip or vacation as well.

The Atem by IQAir

IQAir is the company you may remember from our Review of the HealthPro Plus Air Purifier for the Home. Based in Switzerland, this firm has been at the forefront of air-filtration technology for the home and medical community. I still use their HealthPro Plus filter for my home, and I simply could not imagine myself living without it.

The Atem is a new product for a relatively uncharted territory: air purification on-the-go. For my lifestyle, it made the most sense as an office air purifier, as I don’t travel very often. But the unit is small enough to be packed away in most any size carry on.

According to the EPA, our indoor air quality in the USA is poor. With between 2 to 5 times as many contaminants as the outside air. And even worse, we spend upwards of 90% of our time indoors. This is why IQAir developed the Atem. You should be able to breathe cleanly no matter where you are.

The Atem is small, compact and quite durable.

IQAir Atem Review

The Atem comes packed in a small, environmentally friendly, recycled cardboard molded box. Everything is form fit, and nothing can rattle around in shipment, which I like. Setup is very easy and takes less than a minute.

Inside the box.

3 Different Plugs

Air Diffusion

While there are not many features to an air purifier, the Atem really pushes the bounds of what is possible in such a small package. It’s clear, wave shaped air-diffuser works wonders. It opens the spread of air, creating a “blanket” effect so that you don’t ever feel the typically air-rush effect of most fans.

Breakdown showing HyperHEPA filter

On the Medium or High setting, this acts as an air-conditioner and will lower the “felt” room temp by at least 2 or 3 degrees.

Quiet Operation

Its centrifugal design has created the quietest air fan I’ve ever experienced. Just on par with, if not even more quiet than the Dyson Air Multiplier. If you keep it on the Low or Medium settings, it is sufficiently quiet to be unobtrusive to your work.

HyperHEPA Ultrafine Filtration

With over 50 years in the air filtration business, IQAir knows how to create a filter. I know this, because I’ve removed and studied the filters on both my Healthpro Plus and the Atem.

The Atem uses their proprietary HyperHEPA filter, which will remove up to 99% of particles in the air, including ultra-fine particles. It’s circular filter design is what enables the Atem to keep such a slim and sleek profile.

LED lighting indicate the current setting and speed.

Smart Phone Driven

By far my favorite feature of the Atem is the Atem App for iOS and Android phones. While the Atem can be controlled without the aid of a smart phone, it is this app which really makes this unit shine.

Once paired with your phone, the Atem will remember your last fan setting and automatically turn the fan on when you arrive near your Atem. When you leave, it will sense your phone is out of range and turn the Atem off, thus preserving your filter life.

The Atem App for iOS and Android is essential.

The smart app also tracks your filter life for you, alerting you when it is time to replace the filter. Replacement filters are $69 and are available from IQAir directly.

It’s an elegant operation that just works. Leaving you to continue your work without interruption.

Final Thoughts

I’ve been using the Atem for exactly one month now. The clean air smell and wonderful soft-breeze it sends my way has made my desk life much more bearable. It is offered in two color variants currently, White or Black and ships with a 3 year limited warranty.

At $399, we believe this blows away many other small-factor air purifiers in both price and performance.

About The Author

Founder and Editor of Appliance Buyer's Guide. With over 10 years experience selling appliances and designing kitchens, and having grown up in the business, I have a unique perspective on todays offerings in the Appliance world.
Currently Managing Director at The Kitchenworks in Fort Lauderdale, FL.